Friday, May 23, 2008

Aussie prudishness: a taste for censorship

Outsiders probably imagine my native Australia as an open-minded nation whose citizens are accustomed to basking around half-naked in a carefree atmosphere of sea, sand, sun and sex. This is not the case. Australians are an exceptionally prudish people, who don't hesitate in using police intervention and censorship to handle certain situations. In my article of 13 March 2007 entitled Rambo caught with his pants down[display], I sketched a few notorious examples of this amazing prudishness and abhorrence of explicit sensuality that might be interpreted as sexual misbehavior... with the sole exception, curiously, of the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Once again, this subject has come to the forefront of Aussie news concerning vaguely erotic images of adolescents by the celebrated photographer Bill Henson displayed in a Sydney gallery.

Yesterday, in the dawn hours preceding the opening of the exhibition, police invaded the private gallery and seized more than twenty photos. And this could well be the prelude to legal prosecutions.

The photographer Bill Henson is acclaimed internationally. His works have been exhibited in the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris and the Venice Biennale, not to mention the national galleries of Victoria and New South Wales. A deplorable aspect of this Philistine affair is the fact that justifications for this dawn seizure of works of art have been coming from the likes of Kevin Rudd (prime minister of Australia, who apparently employed the adjective "revolting" in describing Henson's photos), Morris Iemma (premier of the state of New South Wales) and representatives of the New South Wales police force. These individuals are deciding whether Bill Henson's work has artistic merit or whether it should be condemned as pornography.

Personally, since I harbor no desire of returning to my native land, let alone trying to get onto the same wavelength as my former compatriots, I guess I shouldn't get worked up by such a silly storm in an Aussie teacup. But I see it as interesting data of a genealogical kind. Maybe "anthropological" would be a more appropriate adjective.

It goes without saying that any decent society, such as that of Australia or France, must protect the physical sanctity of teenage children. This is particularly true, for example, in the case of young girls in certain Aboriginal communities that have apparently been neglected by Australian authorities.

My anonymous correspondent is obviously aware of the background of today's Henson fiasco, because he/she knows that the photographic subject was aged 13. Would that be the sole element that my anonymous correspondent has retained concerning this blatant case of police intervention and censorship?

For what reasons does my anonymous correspondent consider that my opinions on this Aussie censorship affair should dissuade me from returning to my native Australia? Does he/she imagine that child abuse is tolerated in France?

For blog readers who might not be well-versed in Aussie insults, the term "wanker" designates a person who masturbates. This casts light upon the reasons why my anonymous correspondent, almost certainly a male, didn't like the idea of my defending the photographic artist Bill Henson.

Having said this, I repeat that I really don't feel inclined to get upset, in one way or another, about purely Australo-Aussie issues such as this.

Would that be the sole element that my anonymous correspondent has retained concerning this blatant case of police intervention and censorship?

No but its the only thing that matters.

For what reasons does my anonymous correspondent consider that my opinions on this Aussie censorship affair should dissuade me from returning to my native Australia? Does he/she imagine that child abuse is tolerated in France

I wouldn't presume the people of France to be as blaze about common decency as you, I'd just prefer it if you'd stay put.

I would rather that the young girl not be tainted by a nude photoshoot. Who can tell what the future effects on her personality might be? She is too young to decide at 13 if thats whats she wants. My concern for her welfare outweighs the importance of your ability to get some dubious pleasure viewing naked pictures of her in an art gallery.

Dear Paul: Thanks for supporting my common-sense interpretation of the Henson affair... which is surely a sad and silly storm in a teacup.

Concerning the anonymity of our correspondent, let's not forget that the Blogger context remains unfortunately rather cumbersome for somebody who would simply like to throw in a spontaneous opinion or two. They're obliged to either register or remain anonymous. So, we shouldn't necessarily interpret their anonymous signature as an indication of stealthiness. Maybe the Google Blogger people should replace the term anonymous by something more gentle (?), such as unregistered correspondent.

Yes fair enough William (I hope you are well by the way). Unregistered is a good choice; perhaps "unmitigated" might be another?

The sort of thing I read from "A.N. Onymous" always makes my gorge rise. I have to say with reference to your interest in the American Presidency, that I was jolly glad to see that the bible-basher Michael Huckabee was chucked out together with that other God-bothering twerp whose name, for the moment escapes me!

nursemyra : Thanks for your comments. I've looked briefly at your Gimcrack Hospital blog, which is wonderful. It looks too liberated to be Australian! Your profession and personal experiences (loss of Stephen) account to a large extent, no doubt, for the unfettered tone of your blog. But the main part of your expression is surely YOU. In any case, I've got a fair amount of reading to do before I know you better. The aesthetic look of your blog is excellent.

About Me

After working in various computing jobs, I retired to an old farm property in the Vercors mountain range, on the edge of the French Alps, where I spend my time writing, playing with the Internet and looking out upon the slopes in the company of my dog Fitzroy, admiring wonders created by the Big Bang and Evolution.